Heavy rains likely across Gujarat over next five days

Even as heavy rains lashed many places in Saurashtra and south Gujarat on Tuesday, the Indian Meteorological Department has said that heavy rains are likely in south Gujarat, Saurashtra, Kutch and north Gujarat over the next five days.

Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar and Junagadh in Saurashtra, and Navsari and Dangs in south Gujarat received heavy to extremely heavy rainfall on Tuesday, throwing life out of gear.

IMD Ahmedabad's director Jayant Sarkar said at the Weather Watch Group meeting in Gandhinagar that the cyclonic circulation system above the Arabian Sea will lead to heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at several places across the state.

The meeting was presided over by Relief Commissioner MR Kothari, who said that 20 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been pressed into service in view of the flood-like situation at many places.

Four teams of NDRF have been deployed in Gir Somnath district, which witnessed incessant rainfall on Monday, and three teams in Vadodara.

Kothari said at the meeting that Air Force teams have been put on alert in Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Jamnagar for rescue work. He added that efforts are being made on war-footing to restore electricity supply in affected areas.